The Ogun State Government has dragged two traditional rulers Oba Fatai Matanmi, the Onijoko of Ijoko-Ota, and Oba Yusuf Olasunkanmi, the Olu of Orile-Igbon alongside two others, before a State High Court sitting in Abeokuta on allegations of land grabbing and related offences.
In a statement, the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Oluwasina Ogungbade (SAN), said while the defendants remain innocent until proven guilty, the charges demonstrate the state’s resolve to confront land grabbing and criminal dealings in landed property.
Court documents revealed that Oba Matanmi, who sold a parcel of land to the late Madam Irokosu for ₦22,000 in 1976, allegedly began harassing the subsequent owner after Madam Irokosu’s death, despite receiving an additional ₦5 million from the complainant in pursuit of peace. The case is filed as The State v. Oba Fatai Matanmi (HCT/84R/2025).
Similarly, Oba Olasunkanmi is accused of using intermediaries to violently seize lands in the Igbesa area, hiding under the cover of a judgment obtained against third parties. He allegedly extended enforcement beyond the judgment’s scope, displacing legitimate landowners. He is scheduled for arraignment on Thursday, September 25, 2025.
In a separate case, Chief Lekan Agbogun and Chief Akinbowale Beckley were accused of fraudulently selling property in the Mosafejo area of Abeokuta to a buyer overseas without ownership rights, despite the complainant’s existing building on the land.
Ogungbade reaffirmed the government’s stance against land grabbing, stressing that personalities or titles would not shield anyone from prosecution.
“No matter who is involved, the State will resist and redress all land-grabbing actions brought to its notice,” he assured.